MINNEAPOLIS (Sept. 24, 2007) – For the second consecutive year, the law firm of Dorsey & Whitney LLP has received the top rating on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) annual Corporate Equality Index. The index measures employer performance in ensuring fair and open workplaces for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) employees and consumers.
The firm, with more than 650 lawyers and 800 support staff in 18 offices worldwide, achieved the perfect rating of 100% on the survey’s 10 measures, including: a written non-discrimination policy covering sexual orientation and sexual identity; providing diversity training; offering inclusive health insurance, bereavement and family leave policies to employees with same-sex partners; providing health benefits to transgender employees; establishing GLBT employee groups; and engaging in respectful advertising to the GLBT community.
A copy of the report and all ratings can be found at www.hrc.org/cei
“A commitment to diversity is a worthwhile end in itself,” said Marianne Short, Dorsey managing partner. “But it is also good business. A commitment to provide clients with the best possible service requires that we recruit and retain the best possible attorneys. Dorsey policies on health insurance coverage, diversity training and family leave help us attract talented attorneys. In addition, clients increasingly require that their law firms demonstrate a commitment to diversity. I’m proud to say that we’ve been ahead of the curve regarding diversity. Our score on the Corporate Equality Index is strong validation of that accomplishment.”
For Steven Benolkin, who joined Dorsey after graduating from law school in 2006, the combination of Dorsey’s diversity efforts and its respected work for top-tier companies made the firm a good career fit. “I knew of Dorsey’s reputation as a law firm, but it was the firm’s obvious commitment to diversity and acceptance that really sold me,” said Steven. “I immediately found myself in an environment that respected both my professional development and my personal values.”
A firm-wide commitment to diversity and tolerance is a team effort, explains Dorsey Partner Diane Malfeld, co-chair of the firm’s Diversity Committee. “It touches so many things, including how and where we recruit attorneys, how we mentor young lawyers, and how we assign work. That we’ve been successful is a tribute both to firm leadership and to the many people at Dorsey who work hard to make our diversity policy a reality in our workplace.”
About the Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.